Bright Futures at Stoke on Trent College

Students from across the County and City will be returning to schools later this week to collect their GCSE results, with many hoping to have obtained grades high enough to secure a place at a Further Education or sixth form college. But what does it mean for those who didn’t get the results they were expecting? What options are available?

As students across Staffordshire receive their GCSE results this week, Lisa Capper MBE CEO and Principal of Stoke on Trent College advises local young people how they can prepare to make the best of results day, whatever their grades.

GCSE results day can be nerve wracking at the best of times but this year due to the disruption to learning caused by the pandemic and the nature of returning to formal examinations, we are seeing unprecedented levels of uncertainty. Whatever your results, Stoke on Trent College aim to welcome all students and assess the overall picture to ensure we can offer the best possible programme.

Whether you receive the grades you wanted or not, there are options out there for you to be able to move forward into the future you deserve. There is a course, apprenticeship, training or work experience placement out there that is right for you, along with an opportunity to re-sit your GCSEs, all at Stoke on Trent College. Keep in mind these simple top tips as you approach GCSE results day so that you can make the best decision for you, once you know your grades.

1. Don’t panic: Even if you didn’t get what you hoped for you should take some time to acknowledge all your hard work to get this far and feel good about completing this stage in your life.
2. Be ambitious: Stop and think about what you want to do next. Don’t let the current context of Covid dampen your ambition, things will change for the better. Ask yourself, what will help you achieve your career goals? Is it a course or do you need to gain work experience or develop a specific skill?
3. Be realistic: Long term things will hopefully go back to normal, but in the short term it’s about looking for your best options to move forward – use this time to reflect on what you really want to do, building useful, transferable skills, ask for work placements as well as a course so you are in a prime position to get a foot in the door.
4. Think outside the box: Continuing in a traditional education setting might work for some people but for others more vocational or technical practical and hands-on training would suit them better. Now is a great time to think about an apprenticeship or traineeship as the government has allocated additional resources to these schemes.
5. Talk to someone: Find the right person to talk to about your next move – it could be a parent or carer, teacher at your school, or staff at a further education provider, like Stoke on Trent College. Talking things through will help you to decide what the best option is for you.

Always remember that nothing can stop you from getting where you want to be. You have what it takes to aspire, achieve and progress.

Ms Capper MBE says that regardless of what GCSE results day brings, there are still ways to get to where you want to be and fulfil your potential.

He also said:

“The most important thing is to stay positive, it’s not the end of the world and in time you will come to realise this. It’s vital to pick yourself up and, most crucially, take action.

“The first step is to speak to your school or chosen college whose careers advisers will be able to guide you in the right direction. Also, just because you didn’t get the results needed for the course you want, it doesn’t mean the door is closed. You can still enrol, but will either need to retake English and maths if you didn’t get the required grade or do another English and maths qualification. These core subjects are incredibly important for work and further study so achieving these is essential.

“At Stoke on Trent College, those who don’t achieve grade 4 in English and maths, but show a passion for a particular subject, are still given the opportunity to access the courses they want by building a pathway to achieve this”.

George Smith-Briggs joined us last year after being a little unsure what he wanted to do. He didn’t quite manage to achieve English and Maths at school however he was able to enrol at the College and work towards a re-sit whilst starting his Level 2 in Media Production.

George said:

“Having this opportunity and extra support to succeed has made all the difference to my confidence. It was great to be able to start the course and find my future. I am now coming back in September to start my Level 3 Media Production course and looking towards a great career ahead of me, I can’t believe it”.

Stoke on Trent College offers personalised Study Programmes, apprenticeships and traineeships for those aged 16-18 and provision for adult learning and English for speakers of other languages. The College runs a range of courses from beauty to business, from maths to media. Courses are for a range of abilities and ages. They provide young people and adults with the skills they need to move into employment or further education or training. This includes work placements and accredited support with careers information, advice and guidance.

The apprenticeship roles cover a range of professions including hairdressing, plumbing, business administration, childcare, pharmacy and much more.